In an unprecedented show of strength and determination, hundreds of women took to the streets of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital to protest the forceful takeover of their lands by former Governor, Nyesom Wike.
The protesters, who identified themselves as ‘Oginigba Women’, demanded an immediate reversal of the controversial land acquisitions and an end to the alleged land grabbing.
The women carried placards and banners with strong messages such as ‘No Consultation, No Compensation’ and ‘Give Us our Land Back’ directed at the FCT Minister, Hon. Kingsley Chinda and Barr George Ariolu.
Chinda, the House of Representatives Minority Leader and Ariolu are believed to be Wike’s accomplices in the large-scale land-grabbing scheme perpetrated during his eight years as governor.
Reports indicate that vast tracts of land have been deceitfully taken from citizens in the guise of insecurity and rural development but only to be redistributed among Wike, Chinda and their other associates.
Blocking the entrance to the Hypercity in Port Harcourt, the women raised alarm to the long-standing issue of land rights in Nigeria, where women are often disproportionately affected by land disputes and displacement.
They even alleged that the Hypercity, reportedly owned by Wike, is one of the FCT Minister’s notoriously acquired lands from unsuspecting citizens.
According to them, the takeover of lands has left many families homeless, without livelihoods, and without access to basic necessities like water and healthcare.
They accused Wike of abuse of power, enriching himself and his cronies at the expense of the vulnerable, adding that it is a gross violation of citizens’ fundamental rights and a betrayal of public trust.
The protest, which was peaceful but energetic, drew attention to the need for policies that prioritize the rights of women and local communities to their lands.
The women, therefore, called on the Rivers State government to intervene.
